Elon Musk.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX won a $2.89 billion contract to land astronauts on the Moon in the next few years,NASA announced on Friday.
“This is an exciting time for NASA and especially the Artemis team,” Lisa Watson-Morgan, program manager for HLS (Human Landing System) at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, said in astatement. “During the Apollo program, we proved that it is possible to do the seemingly impossible: land humans on the Moon.”
“By taking a collaborative approach in working with industry while leveraging NASA’s proven technical expertise and capabilities, we will return American astronauts to the Moon’s surface once again, this time to explore new areas for longer periods of time,” she added.
Elon Musk.Jeff Vespa/WireImage
Blue Origin had partnered with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman — two aerospace pioneers — on their proposal.
In December 2020, NASA announced a team of 18 astronauts who will be part of their Artemis mission.
“There is so much exciting work ahead of us as we return to the moon, and it will take the entire astronaut corps to make that happen,” Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester said at the time. “Walking on the lunar surface would be a dream come true for any one of us, and any part we can play in making that happen is an honor.”
RELATED VIDEO: What to Know About Astronaut Mom Heading to Space After Husband’s SpaceX Mission
SpaceX and NASA have shared other success together as of late.
Last year, the company took NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi tothe International Space Station aboard its SpaceXCrew Dragon spacecraft.
Earlier this month, President Joe Biden proposeda $24.7 billion budget for NASA in 2022, which would give the agency a $1.5 billion increase over its 2021 budget.
source: people.com
